California Here We Come

I started the gathering process of getting ready for our trip on Friday. It's the first time the entire family has been together in 2 years. Tyler and family will be here Thursday so we can make the drive together. (I have what I HOPE is a fun activity book for Mackenzie to keep herself amused.) But let's get to the good stuff. My favorite is the Recycle... Save the Earth bags for the kids. Inside are little presents they can do by themselves since we will get there late afternoon. Puzzles.... necklaces to make..... books..... painting on a wood picture..... and their extra special "Bedtime Story Quilts" since both Canyon & Mackenzie will be learning to read this year.

For later there are wooden picture frames to paint and embellish and I plan on taking some fab pictures to put in them..... t-shirts to decorate with puffy paint.... a wooden crocodile, dinosaur, & snake to paint and be a part of the grand finale..... the castle we will make out of popsicle sticks. That was Canyon's idea and he reminds me everytime I talk to him that I will be bringing the popsicle sticks. (the cardboard tubes on the end of the couch will make great towers) I've been perusing the internet for ideas and I'm sure we'll come up with something real fab!! (And I've toned it down this year) Let the good times roll....

We will have a mecca of books. My brother who is a 2nd grade teacher is trading me books for a "Betime Story Quilt" for his two grandsons. It will be just like Christmas.

Marshall gave me his t-shirts from some of the competitions he has been in and I put them together to make him a quilt. I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

Rainbow Project

I joined a three-part rainbow swap. Each swap is a monochromatic piece in three different colors. By the time 6 months is up I'll have 9 cards in the colors of the rainbow. I really liked working with just one color....

"The Best Of the Garden"

"Two Orange Flowers"

(that's my original name, Brenda. It

took me hours to think of)

"A Rose Is A Rose"

I did this one where you are assigned a partner and then you make them a card based on their profile. We mutually decided to trade trees. She collects earth women so I "tried" to make her a tree in an earth woman's domain. I made it with batik fabric, wool fibers, linen thread, and then did some beading. These themed swaps are making my right brain muscles sore, but it is fun stretching their boundaries.

Abbey - Our Vegetarian Dog

So, we have had our little (or not so little) punkin' pie on a diet for the past 6 months. She has lost 10 lbs. Notice her new sleeker hips... We now get to add a cup of any type of vegetable every day. She is dog happy. She loves broccoli and cauliflower, green beans, potatoes, even lettuce and anything else you can imagine.

Every afternoon she gets her special treat of 4 baby carrots which is good for her teeth. When the vet told us, I thought.... no way is she going to eat those. (uncooked) But there you have it... she thinks they are awesome & yummy. We are so proud of our vegetarian dog, who took up the life style without any urging from us.... Way to go, Abbey.

Art Recieved

I am starting to recieve some awesome art from the new website I'm trading at most of the time now. http://www.illustratedatcs.com/

"Looking Up" by Sharon in Canada.

She is another fiber artist. This is felted and free motion quilted. It was really fun to trade with someone who does similar things. There aren't very many of us.

"Nautilus 117" by Karen in Las Vegas, NV

She has won all sorts of awards for her art, including Artist of the Year and has clients such as Michael Jackson and Playboy. You can see more of her art at http://www.ArtWanted.com/KMS

"Pathway" by Janet of the United Kingdom. I love nature & landscapes

"Canyonlands Sunrise"

These next two are by Margaret of Arizona. You can check out her blog at http://waterblossoms.blogspot.com/ to see links to some of her other art. She's amazing and

every day posts some kind of art and a Zen type inspiring thought.

"Tuscan Sun"

"Ouster"

"Sticking One's Neck Out" I love this. How many times do you get your neck stuck in a noose by doing this.

These next three are by Cynthia of Kansas. You can see more of her art from links on her blog. http://couchart.livejournal.com/ She has a very unique and creative style.

Newest ATC's

"Flower for Ms. Garbo"

"A Winter's Day"

"Ms. Coy"

"Starting Over - Again"

I'm thinking about enlarging some of these to an 8X10 size....

After 29 years....

This is how it goes folks.

Last night we were watching So You Think You Can Dance..... Ken is icing his hamstring and I'm doing some handwork. I ran downstairs to get something and he hollered.... "where are you going?" "I'll be right back," I said. Coming up the stairs I said..... "Do you just want me by you all the time?"

"No, I just wanted to know if you'd turn off that light."

My Way Of Staving Off Boredom

These are some of the ATC's I've been making lately. I like to work on them on a lazy Sunday.

These are a few I sent to an International ATC show in Portland, Maine. If you want.... at the end of the show they will trade them out for you..... matching quantity and trying to match quality. It will be interesting to see the returns. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=123438711014449&index=1